Ashbrook: After moving from Spain, grad wants to join Air Force

Published: Wednesday, June 11, 2014 at 02:33 PM.

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An Ashbrook High School senior has only lived in the U.S. for six years and wants to join the Air Force. Exsenhawer Tobon-Galeano hopes to become a pilot and forge a military career. He’s finished his physicals and now awaits a call from recruiters. He hopes to start basic training in July.

“At first I thought about being a police officer, but I like the feeling (of) being in the sky,” he said. “It just feels right.”

The 18-year-old is a native of Colombia, South America. At age 4, he moved to Spain with his mother, Gloria Bolen. He said she searched for a better life and more money to raise her son. It was just the two of them. They lived in a high-rise apartment. Bolen held down two or three jobs for nearly a decade, cleaning offices and homes to make ends meet.

Exsenhawer has childhood memories living in Lugo, Spain, near the Portugal border. During summer months, he played every day at a park with friends. They were fond of soccer and entertained themselves.

An Ashbrook High School senior has only lived in the U.S. for six years and wants to join the Air Force. Exsenhawer Tobon-Galeano hopes to become a pilot and forge a military career. He’s finished his physicals and now awaits a call from recruiters. He hopes to start basic training in July.

“At first I thought about being a police officer, but I like the feeling (of) being in the sky,” he said. “It just feels right.”

The 18-year-old is a native of Colombia, South America. At age 4, he moved to Spain with his mother, Gloria Bolen. He said she searched for a better life and more money to raise her son. It was just the two of them. They lived in a high-rise apartment. Bolen held down two or three jobs for nearly a decade, cleaning offices and homes to make ends meet.

Exsenhawer has childhood memories living in Lugo, Spain, near the Portugal border. During summer months, he played every day at a park with friends. They were fond of soccer and entertained themselves.

“I would go to the park at 1 (p.m.) and not come back until 10 or 11,” he said.

Moving to America: Exsenhawer will graduate Saturday from Ashbrook. He moved to Gastonia six years ago with his mom. They wanted to be with family members who live in Gaston County, including aunts, uncles and cousins.

The thought of a better future for Exsenhawer was also a driving force behind the move. He said his mother always keeps his best interests at heart. He wants to thank her for that. She works in housekeeping at CaroMont Regional Medical Center.

“The whole time, she was trying to take care of me. I really appreciate it,” he said.

He misses his friends in Spain but believes moving to the U.S. was the right choice.